1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns the use of a composition for treating the surfaces of livestock buildings and/or the material therein so as to eliminate and/or inhibit pathogenic protozoa and in particular coccidiosis oocysts.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
Coccidiosis is an infection caused by single-cell organisms. These organisms belong to the class of protozoa and they are called oocysts most often. Oocysts, so-called non-sporulated are excreted by animals in their stool. They remain in the environment and sporulate. These sporulated oocysts, if ingested, cause a diarrhea and sometimes animals' death.
When it comes to fighting against animals' coccidiosis, antibiotics, oocyst development inhibitor molecules are commonly used: coccidiostatics.
There are few dilute solutions, to be applied in the animals' environment for destroying oocysts. Generally, these solutions contain compounds, such as phenols, chloroform and/or ammonia. German document DE-10 222 455 describes, for example, the use of a phenol-combined ester having an action against oocysts.
The use of alkylamine for preventing the proliferation of animal parasites, and more particularly of the following parasites, is also known from document BE-101 6296: Ornithonyssus Sylvarium, Ornithonyssus Bursa, pigeon Argas and more particularly Dermanyssus Gallinae (chicken red louse).
A disinfectant for the elimination of parasites and in particular coccidiosis oocysts is also known from document EP 0 397 220, comprising: one or more active disinfectants belonging to the group of aliphatic alcohols with 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and one or more surfactants and water.
The preferred surfactants are of anionic type (RSO3-), and more particularly:                (formula I) a sulfo-ester (COOR2) of fatty acids (R1) with R1 being a vegetable fatty acid and R2 a C1 to C4 chain.        (formula II) an ethoxylated or propoxylated fatty alcohol, a slightly foaming surfactant of the block copolymer family with:                    R3_O: fatty alcohol portion.            If R4=H, an ethoxylated fatty alcohol since (CH2_CH0) is the monomer (2C)-m which defines the polymer.            If R4=CH3, a propoxylated fatty alcohol since (CH2-C(HO)—CH3) is the monomer (3C)-m which defines the polymer.                        (formula III) a polyethoxylated fatty alcohol also called alcohol polyether. Possibly, the surfactant can include fettamine and a quaternary ammonium in one of its branches.        
Document FR 2.347.935 concerns a disinfectant which is useable against protozoa oocysts, and in particular resistant forms of various coccidia species. Document FR 2.2347.935 suggests the following mixture of a non-conventional quaternary ammonium which may be summed up as a dialkyl (alkyl/acyl/trialkylamino) quaternary ammonium of a phosphoric ether (I), a 70-90% chlorinated (chlorinated hydrocarbon) aliphatic or aromatic solvent, a polyethoxylated (non-ionic) tertiary di-amine alkyl (III), an amphoteric surfactant, alkyl (hydroxy), possibly an imidazoline (IV) and an anionic and/or non-ionic emulsifying agent (emulsifying and solubilising of the 1-3-4 into 2) in significant proportion for solubilisation in water.
This formula is relatively non-polar with a lot of chlorinated solvent, the dilution used is 0.25 to 10% in water. Imidazoline keeps the aqueous dilution stable with little polar formula.
Document FR2347935 describes the power against coccidia that could be thought of as dissolution of the keratin- and lipid-containing shells. To that end, the power of the chlorinated solvent is put in evidence.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,403 provides a disinfectant composition comprising one quaternary ammonium combined with one conventional dichlorobenzene having an activity against coccidiosis oocysts. This 1:400 diluted composition is applied in the habitat of the infected animals. It is a chlorinated compound having an action against coccidia.
The article “In vitro evaluation of the disinfection efficacy on Eimeria tenella, unsporulated oocysts isolated from broilers” by José GUIMARAES dated 2007, is based on a study of sporulation inhibition of nine disinfectants. The results of this study show that the disinfectants composed of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, sodium hypochlorite with one orthodichlorobenzene and xylene associated with glycine compounds are with more than 60% efficient in the oocysts sporulation inhibition. Disinfectants solely based on quaternary ammonium (formula T1) do not appear sufficiently active to inhibit the oocysts sporulation.
The quaternary ammonium based formulae tested during that study are 1:1000 diluted, equivalent to 0.001%, with a 30 min contact time. By way of comparison in the official German protocol of the DVG (and of its guidelines 2000: “Guidelines for the testing of chemical disinfectants against coccida oocysts”), the tested formulae are 4% diluted with a 2 hour contact time.
The test protocol of this article measures the capacity of the disinfectants to inhibit the oocysts sporulation whereas the DVG protocole measures the reduction of the number of oocysts once inside the animal.
Document WO 02/23990 concerns a disinfectant, comprising an amine and/or a quaternary ammonium for the cleaning and the disinfection of the material, instruments, hands, chemical toilets and building materials among others. The disinfection comprises the bactericidal and fungicide activities.